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Case Mod - In Progress The Powerful Pretty Pink Processor (aka, "The PPPP")

Discussion in 'Project Logs' started by cpachris, 27 Mar 2014.

  1. Hanoverfist

    Hanoverfist Minimodder

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    cool new toy.. I would hope to see this offered in Black PCB and a Nickel Block for Production?;)
     
  2. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    I'll find out if it will be and report back....
     
  3. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Question: What's more uninteresting than a CPU unboxing and installation?

    Answer: Not much. So.....I won't take up toooooo much of your time with these. But here's a few shots. :eek:

    Going with the 4930k for this build.

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    Here are the sticker stats....

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    I'm not in marketing....but I think someone at Intel should have to explain themselves for the selection of the interior packaging....

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    Good news!!!! Inside my Intel box....I got a special offer from McAfee!!!! :rolleyes:

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    Anybody know if this is a good batch for overclocking?

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    All appears intact. No scratches or other abnormalities......

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    Pop open the cover.....

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    ...and then put that thing down in its slot. Hard to mess this part up.

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    While I've got the case sides off....here a few more shots to show how the fans are looking. Don't have the stickers done yet....but I'm real happy with the pink rings and how they look in the case.

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    I'll be messing with a temporary air cooler for the CPU this afternoon.....so more pictures later. Need to get this thing booted up on air and make sure everything is in working order.
     
  4. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    I've re-asked all of the questions that I've received from forum members, and a few of my own, to the EK folks. Here are some more facts that EK has confirmed about the new EK Ascendacy.

    1) It's going to be a single 5 1/4 bay unit that mounts horizontally. Interesting.

    2) There will be a version that has an LCD screen and the LCD will attach perpendicular to the PCB. Interesting.

    3) There will also be a version that does not have an LCD. Kind of like the Aquaero LT.

    4) The 2pin PCIe port is intended to power a pump. If you need rpm reporting also, you could run the rpm sensing wire over to one of the PWM ports to the right of the waterblock.

    5) Yes, the production units will have a black PCB, and yes the waterblock will most likely be nickel plated.

    6) The blue jumper that someone asked about automatically overrides any profiles and feeds all attached devices with 12 volts. I like this option. I like it alot.

    7) Much like the Aquaero, the device runs autonomously. Software is only used to make changes to settings and profiles.

    8) Overcurrent protection is actively measuring power draw and voltage on the fly. It is not thermal dependent. You can operate the unit without the waterblock hooked up. Just keep TJ-Max below 120 degrees celcius.

    9) This will give you a better idea what the ports do:

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    The OCP values are subject to change for production units, but right now the Red ports are supposed to be good for about 20W before OCP, the GREEN ports should be good for 40W+. USB connector is right above the 2-pin PCI-e connector.

    Hope that helps. Feel free to continue asking questions and I'll accumulate them and forward them on to the kind folks at EK.
     
  5. jimbaw

    jimbaw What's a Dremel?

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    I would have no use for it at the minute but I now want one. especially if it's cheaper than the aquaero
     
  6. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    I'll be interested in the final price also. EK doesn't have a reputation for making the cheapest alternatives around. But then again, neither does Aquacomputer. I would guess that the price is comparable to an Aquaero....but the competition will spur both companies forward with more features. Consumers win.
     
  7. Hanoverfist

    Hanoverfist Minimodder

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    Black PCB and Nickel Block...now thats more like it.

    Thanks Chris :thumb:
     
  8. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Yeah....that will be sharp.

    But I'm wondering about the horizontal mounting. In a single bay setup....there will be precious little space above the PCB for plugging in fan/pump connectors. Seems like you would need the bay above it free also to have any room at all for playing with connections.

    We'll see how they handle this....
     
  9. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Time for a temporary air CPU cooler so that I can test components and make sure everything is working before moving on to destroying the warranty on everything. :)

    I was worried about space in the S8 for an air cooler since I have that EK radiator right above the motherboard. So I picked up this little bitty CPU cooler from Phanteks....

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    Hmmmm.....I don't think I knew it was white when I ordered it.

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    The bottom is not polished all that nicely either....

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    Even though this is only temporary....it would throw off my mojo everytime I looked in the case if I left this thing white. So.....

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    There. That's better.

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    This thing really is small. I don't expect fantastic cooling out of it. But then again, I don't expect to have it in the case for all that long either.....

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    Uh-oh. It also came with a horribly cheap looking white fan. [Pink Floyd Voice] This will not do.

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    Luckily for me....one of my extra Corsair AF120 fans that has the full pink treatment on it....fits nicely right between the memory sticks.

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    Aesthetic tragedy averted....time to get this thing booted up.
     
    Last edited: 10 Jun 2014
  10. ChromAnomaly

    ChromAnomaly What's a Dremel?

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    More than an averted tragedy, that thing actually looks darn good in there. Too bad it doesn't have enough cooling power to keep around, I like the way the fan fits perfectly flush with the RAM.
     
  11. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    With my quickly rigged temporary CPU air cooler in place, the time has finally come to boot this baby up and make sure everything is in working order. I got out my HUGE bag of cables for my Corsair AX1500i, and started plugging in the required cables. Although the stock cables are clearly not going to be the perfect length for everything I need, the flat black ribbon style cables are actually very nice to work with. I was easily able to fold them over and use zip ties to take up the excess length. Here is what it looked like with the GPU's and motherboard all plugged in......

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    I don't have my 4k monitor from ASUS yet, so I plugged the computer into the TV sitting beside it to use as a monitor. I nervously re-checked all connections one last time, and hit the power button. Success! Nothing to boot to yet, but I got a successful POST and entered the BIOS to start configuring. I plugged in one of my Corsair Neutron SSD's and an ODD with my Windows 8.1 disk, and got that installed. This will be our first 8.1 box in the house. Thought it would be fun to try.

    Anyway....the Windows install went REAL fast and problem free. Picture below for proof I'm up and running now...

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    Here are a couple more shots of what the cabling looks like with the stock Corsair cables. I would always sleeve mine...but these really do look nice for stock cables.

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    Now that I can power up and use the box while I continue to work on it....I'll be able to start playing with that EK Ascendacy I showed a few posts back. Kind of excited to see what it's like.

    Next projects on the build will be to get ready all of the remaining parts that will be powdercoated into one last batch. I think it's distracting when you have faceplates and/or mounting brackets, etc., that don't match the build colors, so I'll be getting one last batch of black and one last batch of pink parts powdercoated.

    After that, I'll work primarily on custom length sleeved cables while I wait on the powdercoat items to be finished.
     
  12. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks!

    I thought it looked pretty good too. Performance of the cooler is definitely less than stellar. It idles nice and cool (low 30's) but it got up to high 70's and low 80's pretty quick during a stress test I ran last night. Will have to keep things tame until I get the loop done....
     
  13. hanssx2

    hanssx2 Minimodder

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    when do you start the sleeving for this rig?

    I wait drooling for you custom dye job
     
  14. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Haha...Thanks! Shouldn't be long. I need to do the big dye batch to turn the rest of my white Telios pink....but then I'm ready. I'll do one cable at a time so that I can keep things running while I proceed...
     
  15. strahd

    strahd What's a Dremel?

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    Wow this beast looks fantastic :jawdrop: . Great work!
     
  16. Cheapskate

    Cheapskate Insane? or just stupid?

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    My eyes hurt just looking at a picture of your desktop/start screen/whatever stupid thing they call it now.:lol:
    Rig looks great, though.
     
  17. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Thanks strahd!



    Did you notice the "pink" theme on the Windows 8 start page? :D
     
  18. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    Time to help Jenn pick a color combination for the 24 pin cable....

    I want to do a 3 color combination for the PPPP sleeving. Black and pink are the no brainer choices for two of those colors. I think we'll use grey for the 3rd color.

    These shots are just to show the black and grey Telios sleeving from Lutro0 Customs, and how it fits with the color scheme of the ASUS RIVE BE and The Corsair fans. The RIVE BE has both black and grey ports for several things. One set of the memory slots is black, and one set is grey. They also use black/grey to differentiate their SATA2 and SATA3 ports. For the Corsair fans, they all have the grey rubber vibration dampners on each corner....so there is also plenty of black and grey for the fans. Grey just makes sense for the 3rd color....

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    So I used some of my test batch of pink dyed Telios, along with some black and grey, and stuck them in a 24 pin connector for some combinations. From left to right we have....

    #1 - BBPPGBBBBBBB

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    #2 - BBPPBGGBPPBB

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    #3 - BGPGBBBBGPGB

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    #4 - BBPPGGBBPPGG

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    #5 - BBPPGBBBBBBB

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    #6 - BBBPPPGGGBBB

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    #7 - BBBPPPGBBBBB

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    #8 - BBBBBPGBBBBB

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    #9 - BBBBBBGPPGBB

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    Jenn gets to decide what she wants....but I'll tell you now that she was heavily influenced by forum opinion in selecting the fan combination colors. So....here is your chance to influence her. Let her know what you think would look best in her pretty little pink computer! Or feel free to suggest other options. Like they told me in Louisiana.....vote early, and vote often!
     
  19. ChromAnomaly

    ChromAnomaly What's a Dremel?

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    I'd vote option #3. Keeps the pink from being overwhelming, while still letting it pop nicely.
     
  20. cpachris

    cpachris What's a Dremel?

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    That is one of her early favorites....along with #9. She likes the grey outlining the pink....but not too much pink.
     

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